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String Tension and temperature change

Hi All, Does a significant change in temperature (like 30-40 degrees F) have any impact on the tension of a string? For example, if we string the racket at 90 degrees and play w/ it at 50 degrees F, will it feel like a higher tension (maybe upto 1-2 lbs?). I noticed that to be the case on a couple of occasions and was wondering if its due to the temperature or if its due to the stringing machines not calibrated properly? Thx.

That is not good for both the string and the racket is those kinds of temperature changes because the molecules inside are contracting and expanding. It would not have anything to do with the stringing machines.

Hi All, Does a significant change in temperature (like 30-40 degrees F) have any impact on the tension of a string? For example, if we string the racket at 90 degrees and play w/ it at 50 degrees F, will it feel like a higher tension (maybe upto 1-2 lbs?). I noticed that to be the case on a couple of occasions and was wondering if its due to the temperature or if its due to the stringing machines not calibrated properly? Thx.

If your racquet was strung at 90 degrees F and if you play in an environment that has a lower temperature, the stringbed will be more taut. This is no problem provided the transition from one temperature extreme to another is given enough time and not abrupt. You can buy insulated racquet bags. Extremes of temperature like in a car boot under a hot sun is not adviseable.

Hi guys, Thanks for the replies! I am not talking about not taking care of the racket. I am talking more about the (e-commerce) reality of the day. You buy from a place thats warm/hot (where the racket is strung) and you play where its cold. My gym (UBC) is probably around 50 degrees F on weekend mornings in the winter, I doubt it gets much above 60 or so the rest of the day. I was just wondering if there's an impact on the string tension and if so, by how much w/ that kind of temp changes. My experience has been atelast 2 lbs for the 30-40 degrees F difference (assuming the stringer's machine is not off by a lot). Note that your shuttles are also impacted by the temp change, I am saying the 2 lbs after taking that into account...

Hi guys, Thanks for the replies! I am not talking about not taking care of the racket. I am talking more about the (e-commerce) reality of the day. You buy from a place thats warm/hot (where the racket is strung) and you play where its cold. My gym (UBC) is probably around 50 degrees F on weekend mornings in the winter, I doubt it gets much above 60 or so the rest of the day. I was just wondering if there's an impact on the string tension and if so, by how much w/ that kind of temp changes. My experience has been atelast 2 lbs for the 30-40 degrees F difference (assuming the stringer's machine is not off by a lot). Note that your shuttles are also impacted by the temp change, I am saying the 2 lbs after taking that into account...

In lower temperatures the shuttle slows down. Again this is not a problem, because you can switch to a faster grade of shuttles, say from 77 to 78 or 79 or even higher. In low temperatures (not too low) the racquet plays better and you get that more crispy feel, but the strings tend to break sooner. In tropical countries, it is best to expose your racquets in an airconditioned room first, then keep them in an insulated bag until you reach the playing hall, where I presumed it is airconditioned. If not airconditioned then keep them sealed or zeaped when not playing.

In lower temperatures the shuttle slows down. Again this is not a problem, because you can switch to a faster grade of shuttles, say from 77 to 78 or 79 or even higher. In low temperatures (not too low) the racquet plays better and you get that more crispy feel, but the strings tend to break sooner. In tropical countries, it is best to expose your racquets in an airconditioned room first, then keep them in an insulated bag until you reach the playing hall, where I presumed it is airconditioned. If not airconditioned then keep them sealed or zeaped when not playing.

Technically it is correct but practically it is not even thou the shuttles are classified this way.

In low temperatures, the shuttles travel faster because the air is less dense allowing the bird to travel through the air more freely. A higher number speed shuttle would be used because of the added weight to slow down the shuttle as it does not cut through the air as freely.

In high temperatures, shuttles travels slower because the air is more dense, therefore the bird does not travel as freely as it has to travel through more air. A lower number speed shuttle would be used to because of the lighter weight to speed up the shuttle it will cut through the air more freely.

There are other factors such as humidity and altitude which have not been accounted for.

Take an example for instance, in BC, the shuttles mainly used here is 78. Using a 77 or 76, will be too fast for our climate. Once a while BC use 79 if it's cold enough in the Winter or a 77 if it gets hot enough in the Spring or Summer.

Back to your question, yes temperature affect string performance, period. The exact humidity-temperature-string stiffness relationship data are not publicly available so we can't give u a precise answer. If u want the exact performance u use to have, buy your SP racket and string it locally where u live.

I am going to add a little twist to this post.(usually it is for Martini) Since the racquet is strung in Southeast Asia, you don't know what kind of the machine the stringer used. Even if you know what brand and model machine was used, do you know if it was calibrated correctly? Assuming you are sure of the 2 factors above, Do you know the store personally to know that they did not use a junior stringer to string your racquet? If I were you and I am buying a racquet oversea, I would buy one with frame only and ask for discount for no string. Then string it yourself or at your trusted local shop.

In theory, I think if the string is strung at higher temp, and player at much lower temp, you will feel the string bed is tighter. However, the tension does not very too much. Here is what I think. The string does not expend or contract too much due to temp. However, at higher temp, the polymer are softer, more elastic. The same polymer is more rigid and less elastic at lower temp.

Sorry, it sucks that I am at work now and I am still recovering from the TWOBEERs I had last night. (They are Weihenstephan 0.5L each)

Technically it is correct but practically it is not even thou the shuttles are classified this way.

In low temperatures, the shuttles travel faster because the air is less dense allowing the bird to travel through the air more freely. A higher number speed shuttle would be used because of the added weight to slow down the shuttle as it does not cut through the air as freely.

In high temperatures, shuttles travels slower because the air is more dense, therefore the bird does not travel as freely as it has to travel through more air. A lower number speed shuttle would be used to because of the lighter weight to speed up the shuttle it will cut through the air more freely.

There are other factors such as humidity and altitude which have not been accounted for.

Take an example for instance, in BC, the shuttles mainly used here is 78. Using a 77 or 76, will be too fast for our climate. Once a while BC use 79 if it's cold enough in the Winter or a 77 if it gets hot enough in the Spring or Summer.

If you were a shuttle manufacturer you would go bankrupt in no time if you ship shuttles, in strict compliance with your temperature/air density guidelines, to countries with extremes of temperature. Tropical and hot countries would be getting shuttles meant for colder countries, and colder countries will be getting shuttles for the tropics. The game of badminton would not be the same, the tropics would end up playing speed badminton and the colder countries slow motion badminton. That would be fun, for a change.

If you were a shuttle manufacturer you would go bankrupt in no time if you ship shuttles, in strict compliance with your temperature/air density guidelines, to countries with extremes of temperature. Tropical and hot countries would be getting shuttles meant for colder countries, and colder countries will be getting shuttles for the tropics. The game of badminton would not be the same, the tropics would end up playing speed badminton and the colder countries slow motion badminton. That would be fun, for a change.

Actaually it's not mine, and this is what the manufactuers use and as I said, humidity and altidude have not been accounted for and would be included.

Tropical and hot countries would be getting shuttles meant for colder countries, and colder countries will be getting shuttles for the tropics

I have no idea where you got this from but it makes no sense at all. Tropicals get the ones ment for warmer climates and colder countries get the ones ment for cold.

Ok why is HK, Yonex is bringing in speed 3 which is suitable for the warm climate in HK, compared to bringing a speed 4, which is suitable for a colder climate like Canada?